


Carl's Choice

by hockeylvr59 (gleefanatic)



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:54:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25325722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gleefanatic/pseuds/hockeylvr59
Summary: 4+1: Four times Carl chose you and 1 time he didn't.
Relationships: Zach Aston-Reese/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Carl's Choice

**I.**

Lately, you couldn’t tell whether it was almost Christmas or almost Memorial Day. These 60 degree December days were seriously throwing off your sense of time. Not that you were complaining…because you’d take this weather over freezing temperatures any day. In fact, you’d decided to take advantage of the weather, throwing on some workout clothes and tennis shoes before heading to one of the many parks in downtown Pittsburgh. 

About 20 minutes into your walk you’d realized one of your shoes had come untied and you knelt down at the edge of the walkway to tie the laces back up. It was as you were adjusting your pants back down over the tops of your shoes that a high pitched bark sounded in your ears and suddenly an energetic dog was racing right at you. As you pushed yourself to your feet, you felt him quickly dance around your legs, and from off in the distance, you could hear a man yelling at the dog. 

“CARL!” You heard the man yell again as he jogged closer. As your eyes took in the broad shape of the dog’s owner, your brain processed the name and the breed of the dog still dancing around you and all at once, everything clicked. 

Squatting back down you let Carl sniff you quickly before he started licking you, attacking you with kisses. 

“CARL!” The man repeated, now just a few feet away from you. This time Carl paused and looked over towards his dad, his tail continuing to wag excitedly. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.” He explained and it was now that you noticed the empty leash in his hands. “I had him leashed and then suddenly he was just taking off towards you. I think maybe he thought you were hurt.” As he rambled, he moved to hook the leash back onto Carl’s collar. 

“It’s okay.” You insisted, standing back up once again, your hands settling onto your hips. “He meant well.” A smile was growing on your face as you appreciated the man standing in front of you glaring slightly at his dog. “And it’s not every day you get kisses from your favorite Instagram pup.” You added, your lips pursing with mirth. Carl yipped happily as Zach’s brows raised, his brain processing your words. Suddenly his free hand was rubbing at the back of his neck and you could tell he felt slightly uncomfortable. 

“I should get back to my walk now that Carl is satisfied I’m okay.” You declared, not wanting this to become a big deal. “Uh…it was nice to meet both of you, good luck with the season…” After shooting Zach what you hoped was a warm smile you turned on your heel to continue down the pathway. The moment you started walking, Carl whined loudly and repeatedly until you saw him appear beside you again, Zach jogging behind him. 

“Mind if we walk with you?” Zach breathed, his voice somewhat hesitant. Your pulse skipped a beat as you watched him glance between you and Carl. Being back in close proximity to you, Carl had settled and his tail was wagging once again. 

“Sure.” You eventually agreed. Normally you would be hesitant about a man inserting himself into your walk, but it was the middle of the day, and being who he was you doubted that you were in any danger. In fact, it felt far more likely that you would trip or sprain your ankle than that Zach would cause you any harm. And since you didn’t feel like you were in any danger, having company while you continued what you were already doing didn’t feel like too much of a hardship. 

As you walked, Carl continued to yip happily, swerving to brush against your legs every so often. Eventually, you reached a point where you needed to rest, keeping up with a professional athlete and an energetic dog was just too much. As you flopped down into a patch of grass, Zach stood above you, his expression much more relaxed than it had previously been. At the same time, Carl came over to kiss your face again before plopping himself down at your side. 

“You know. I can’t remember the last time he was so calm during a walk.” Zach mentioned, his hands tucked into his pockets. “Usually he’s wanting to chase every squirrel, investigate every tree.” It was left unspoken how much Carl seemed to like you but when you finally made your way back to the edge of the park you watched as once again Zach rubbed his hand against the back of his neck. 

“Could I uh…could I get your number?” He questioned. “So maybe we could meet up and walk together again?” 

After tapping your number into his phone, you bent down to pet Carl one final time, a giggle falling from your lips as Carl perched himself against your legs for more kisses. 

Of all of the people Carl could have chosen to approach in the park, he had chosen you. 

**II.**

When the weather allowed, and even sometimes when it really didn’t, you found yourself joining Zach and Carl on walks. The more time you spent together, the more open Zach became and if you were honest with yourself, those walks were always the highlight of your week. 

On a Saturday afternoon in early February, you found yourself parking along the curb of a well-off neighborhood, a small gift bag in your hand, and a large crockpot of meatballs tucked against your chest. The moment you reached the front yard, you were thrown off balance as Carl bolted across the lawn. Zach’s booming laugh reached your ears almost immediately and you murmured gratefully at him as he moved to take the food from your hands. With your hands now free apart from the gift bag, you squatted down in front of Carl, accepting all of his kisses as you pet him behind his ears. 

“And who is the sweetest birthday boy?” You cooed. Carl yipped in response and you leaned forward to kiss his head. “Yes Carl, I know. You’re the sweetest birthday boy.” When Carl started to nose against the gift bag you giggled and shook your head. “You can’t have that now, that’s for later.” You chastised. Instead, you dipped your hand into the pocket of your coat pulling out a peanut butter, pumpkin, and blueberry cookie that you had made for him for Christmas and which Zach had raved about him loving. Upon smelling the treat, Carl immediately started nosing at your hand and you shook your head. 

“Sit Carl.” You directed. When he complied, you opened your hand, allowing him access to the treat. “Good boy.”

The clearing of a throat drew your attention up and you watched as Zach gazed down at you. 

“Uh…Kelsey wants to know if she needs to do anything to the food you brought?” He murmured. 

“Oh uh…they just need to be plugged in to keep warm.” You responded, a shiver running through your body. “I’ll uh…I’ll go help her.” You added. Zach summoned Carl to follow the two of you inside and he introduced you to his teammates as you slipped your coat and shoes off and made your way through the house to the kitchen. 

As he handed you a drink a few minutes later, his hand fell to rest against your lower back. 

“You know you didn’t have to bring anything.” He spoke softly, his mouth just inches from your ear. 

“And you know my mama raised me better than that.” You replied, sipping from the drink and smiling as the fruity concoction hit your tongue. “Though you should probably try them before you think too highly of me.” You added. 

And try them Zach did. In fact, he downed at least one whole entire plate of them himself. You mingled for a bit with the wives and girlfriends of Zach’s teammates before finally settling with a plate of your own onto the living room floor while a hockey game played on tv. You’d been seated for less than five minutes when Carl jumped down from his spot next to Zach to rest his head on your lap. Within minutes, he was zonked draped halfway over your body, and the fact that he had left his dad so quickly to snuggle you caught the attention of everyone there. 

“ZAR bud, I think you’ve been replaced,” Rusty commented, a smile on his face. 

“You’re not even your own dog’s favorite,” Jake added teasingly. 

Zach just shrugged, an unreadable expression on his face. Carl didn’t move from his spot on your lap the entire game, and he’d only stirred when you ran your finger up and down his nose before murmuring that it was time for treats. 

Watching Carl dig into his birthday cake before playing with the stuffed penguin you’d gotten him filled your heart with so much happiness. He was such a sweet and special puppy that even as a cat lover you couldn’t help but adore him. 

As the sun set, you knew you needed to get home, though you didn’t really want to leave. Carrying the now cleaned crockpot, Zach walked you to your car. 

“So I’ll see you in a few days for our walk?” You questioned, the idea having been mentioned earlier in the day. When Zach shook his head negatively, you were confused but figured he’d forgotten about some preexisting plan. “Okay then.” You declared. “Goodnight.” 

“Wait. Fuck.” Zach breathed, his hand reaching out and falling to your hip as you leaned against the side of your car. With your lip tugged between your teeth, you waited for him to say something more. 

“Instead of a walk…” He started. “I want…” He looked nervous as he spoke and it caused your stomach to fill with butterflies. “Let me take you out. On a date.” He requested, his fingers flexing against your hip. 

Though you hadn’t seen it coming, you couldn’t deny that the thought of it had crossed your mind once or twice before. 

“I’d like that.” You agreed, leaning up to press a quick kiss to Zach’s cheek, his scruff creating a tickling sensation. “But are you sure you want to take me out when I’m Carl’s favorite?” You joked. Zach’s eyes went a shade darker and he chuckled softly. 

“He’s got good taste. I don’t blame him.” 

**III.**

Being with Zach brought a new light to your life. While you had your struggles and disagreements like all couples do, being with him just felt easy. There was nothing you loved more than curling up with him and Carl on the couch at the end of a long day. 

Even though you’d only been together three months, there was a part of you that felt certain that he was the one. So when Zach asked you to go home with him after the team was eliminated from the playoffs, you immediately agreed. 

It wasn’t until you reached New York that you realized just how much of an accent Zach had and you couldn’t help but tease him about it. Just as quickly he threw back how bad your Pittsburghese was and you conceded knowing that he was right. While the teasing was a momentary distraction from the nerves you were feeling at meeting Zach’s family, the moment it ended, those nerves crept right back up. 

As you pulled up to Zach’s childhood home, you glanced back at where Carl was asleep in the backseat. Gathering your bag from the trunk, despite Zach’s protest, you watched as he tried to get Carl up and out of the car with no success. Carl’s eyes were open but he remained sprawled out across the backseat, no intention of going anywhere. 

“Carl, come,” Zach commanded, snapping his fingers at his dog as he worked to gather everything else from the car. A loud sigh escaped your boyfriend’s throat when Carl failed to obey. It had been a long drive and you knew Zach was tired so you rubbed your hand along his back. 

“Babe…why don’t you start inside.” You murmured before turning your attention to the pup in the backseat. 

“Come on Carl…car time is over.” You instructed and immediately Carl lifted his head before jumping from the backseat to stretch, pacing around your legs before trotting up the driveway. Closing the car, you watched as Zach let Carl inside before meeting you halfway up the driveway. 

“I hate you.” He grumbled, again reaching for your bag which this time you let him take. 

“You love me.” You replied, kissing his cheek before taking his hand in yours. As you turned to walk away he tugged you back to him. 

“You’re right. I do. Even if _my_ dog listens to you and not me.” 

**IV.**

From the first night you’d started staying over at Zach’s, Carl had decided to make himself at home in the spot between yours and Zach’s feet. In the six-plus months you’d been together if Carl was in bed with the two of you, that was where he laid. When it was just you in Zach’s bed, Carl chose to sleep against his dad’s pillow. 

So when he started sleeping pressed against your abdomen, it had struck you as odd. But you blew it off as one of his weird dog moods. Plus, it wasn’t like you didn’t enjoy more cuddle time with the dog you’d grown to love almost as much as his owner. 

You were in the kitchen of Zach’s apartment making dinner while Zach paced around the apartment talking to his Aunt out in California on the phone. She must have asked about Carl because Zach started talking about his latest adventures before bringing up his new favorite spot to sleep. 

You hadn’t realized he was on speakerphone until Zach stepped into the kitchen behind you, stealing a piece of cooked chicken from the cutting board beside you. 

“Zach honey…I don’t mean to pry but I have to ask…” His Aunt’s voice floated through the speaker. “Is it possible y/n is pregnant?” 

You nearly cut yourself on the knife in your hand as your body froze, the knife clattering onto the cutting board. 

“I only mention it because it’s possible that Carl has sensed a change in the scent of her hormones and has moved spots due to an instinct to protect the baby.” 

The room was silent as your brain spun, overwhelmed by her words. 

“I uh… I gotta go…I’ll call you back.” Zach’s voice mumbled as the room started to spin slightly. As you wobbled, Zach’s hands wrapped around your waist and he pulled you back against his chest. Just as quickly, Carl himself raced into the room from where he had been sleeping on the couch and he nosed at your legs until eventually your body steadied itself, leaning back against Zach’s body. 

After a moment, Zach scooped you up and carried you to the couch, his lips dropping to your forehead. 

“Zach…I…” You weren’t even 100% certain that it was your voice speaking the words. As Carl jumped up beside you, Zach’s hand moved to cradle your jaw and he pressed a soft kiss to your lips. 

“No…don’t.” He whispered. “I’ll go get a test.” He declared. 

Twenty minutes later, dinner was completely forgotten as you sat on the couch, Carl’s nose tucked against your stomach while three positive pregnancy tests stared up at you from their spot on the coffee table. Mindlessly, your fingers ran over Carl’s spine as you watched Zach sitting next to you, his head in his hands from shock. 

“We’re having a baby.” He eventually breathed, and when he looked up you saw that his eyes were filled with tears. “Fuck…I’m gonna be a dad.” Still uncertain about how he felt about that declaration your breath was slow and shaky. Then Zach leaned over and his lips crashed down onto yours. Upon pulling away, he glanced down at Carl, his fingers sliding from your neck down to the flat expanse of your belly. 

“You’re the greatest dog ever bud. Good work.” 

This time when Zach kissed you again, you could feel him smiling into it, both his and your own tears wetting your cheeks. “We’re having a baby.” It was one of the most amazing phrases you had ever heard. 

**+**

Through the entirety of your pregnancy, Carl had insisted on sleeping as close to your baby bump as possible. Sometimes it was inconvenient, but it was sweet all the same. In the time you’d been together, Carl had certainly become more your dog than Zach’s but your boyfriend never really seemed to mind. 

When you’d brought your daughter home, she’d started sleeping in the bassinet on your side of the bed. And Carl had remained by your side, though he shifted further down the bed toward your feet. You’d expected that now that Lindsey was here that Carl would resume his original sleeping positions, either between yours and Zach’s feet or at Zach’s pillow. 

And when you’d placed Lindsey in her crib in the nursery for the first time while Zach was on the road, Carl had indeed been tucked up against Zach’s pillow when you crawled into bed. 

You’d stirred sometime around 2:30 in the morning according to a glance at your phone. You’d expected to be up for a feeding by now but you hadn’t heard anything from the baby monitor. Immediately panic flooded through your veins and you almost jumped out of bed. A glance back revealed that Carl was also nowhere to be seen and that caused another wave of fear. 

Racing to your daughter’s nursery you leaned over the crib and immediately almost cried in relief. Lindsey was doing just fine, her tiny fists were balled up above her head as she slept, soft snores like her dad spilling from her lips. 

As your heartbeat returned to its normal rhythm, your eyes drifted further down the crib. There, curled up in a ball with his snoot resting on your daughter’s foot was Carl, peering up at you in the dark. A light laugh spilled from your throat and you reached down to pet him gently. 

“I guess you have a new favorite girl don’t you boy?” Carl didn’t move but it was clear from the look in his eyes that he was going to do whatever it took to keep her safe. 

By choosing you that day in the park, Carl had given you everything you could have ever imagined. Now he has chosen your daughter. Chosen to protect her, chosen to love her just as much as he loves you. He was truly the best dog and you were so grateful for the day he had bounded into your life. 

“Love you, Carl.” You murmured, petting him once more before returning to bed, certain that Lindsey was in the best of hands. 


End file.
